Page 130 of Wild Card

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Axel:

Sorry, got work

Dalton:

Dinner later?

…

…

He was thinking too hard about that answer. I decided to jump ahead.

Dalton:

Let me rephrase. I’ll see you for dinner.

Axel:

Okay, Sheriff-to-be. No need to get all authoritative on me.

Dalton:

You like it. You always have ;)

Dalton:

Now, behave boy, or there will be consequences for you tonight.

Axel:

Promises, promises

I tucked my phone away with a smile, feeling more grounded now that I had plans to see Axel, and headed into the sports bar.

Chloe waved a hand from a table back by the dartboard. I nodded that I’d seen her, then swung by the bar to order a beer from the owner, Gail.

She pulled a Blue Moon, then waved away my ten-dollar bill. “This one’s on the house,Sheriff.”

She winked.

“Don’t jinx me, Gail. There’s a whole election to get through.”

She gave a throaty laugh. “Oh, honey, you’ve got it in the bag. Hale is an old, washed-up airbag. You’re young and…” She ran her gaze over me. “The very image of the strong, handsome sheriff everyone wants to envision.”

I doubted most folks envisioned a gay sheriff with a boyfriend, though. Not that I’d let that stop me. I wasn’t going back in the closet or asking Axel to step aside. I’d already told Mayor Prince as much. Folks would vote for me as I was, or they’d be stuck with Hale. Simple as that.

I took a seat beside Chloe and across from Zach. “Hey, guys. Thanks for agreeing to meet up.”

“Sure,” Chloe said. “Gotta make a good impression on the new boss.”

Zach chuckled, shifting nervously. “Too late for me.”

“You’re both good deputies. We’re not here so you can prove yourself. We’re here so I can.”

Zach looked surprised. “What do you have to prove?”

“That I’ll be a better sheriff than Hale, for one.”

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